1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and particularly to an electrical connector assembly with an improved strain relief for firmly securing a cable attached thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
When a cable or the like is terminated by an electrical connector, strain relief means are needed to minimize forces put (exerted) on the connections between the cable and the connector. Strain relief of a cable terminated to a connector requires proper compression of the cable and holds the cable firmly.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,547 issued to Defibaugh, et al. on Jun. 27, 1989, a strain relief 30 has a bight 52 and two legs 54, 56 extending therefrom to respective free ends thereof. Each leg 54, 56 include a plurality of barbs 66 formed on opposite edges thereof. As the strain relief 30 is inserted into a connector housing 12 to a predetermined position, the cable 36 is compressed into a remaining space between the strain relief 30 and an abutment surface 32 of the connector housing 12. The barbs 66 are in penetrating contact with engagement surfaces 42, 44 of the connector housing 12. However, the mount of the compression force is difficult to control. When the compression force is too small, the cable may rotate and easy to be pulled out of the connector housing 12.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,796 issued to Bowen, et al. on Jan. 24, 1995 discloses another design of a strain relief. Bowen discloses a cable strain relief 56 includes a center section 60 adapted to embrace one side of a cable, and a pair of wing sections 62 extending from the center section 60 and having screw-receiving holes 58 in align with screw posts 38 defined on a connector housing 18. A pair of screw posts 50 assembles to the screw posts 38 and the screw-receiving holes 58 to secure the strain relief 56 and the cable. The Bowen design is relative complicated and this increases the cost of the whole connector. Moreover such design is unfit for high speed applications because it ignores Electro Magnetic Interference shielding of the cable.
It is thus desirable to provide an improved strain relief of an electrical connector assembly to alleviate or even eliminate the above-discussed problem.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly with an improved strain relief, the strain relief can provide enough retaining force on a cable for securing the cable to the electrical connector.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a base, a cover assembled to the base, a cable and a U-shaped strain relief. The base has a first opening at a rear end portion thereof. A pair of channels is defined on opposite sides of the first opening. A connector subassembly comprises an insulative housing received in a front end of the base, a plurality of terminals assembled into the housing. A printed circuit board (PCB) is assembled to the housing and electrically connecting with the terminals. The cover and the base together define an interior space. The cover has a second opening corresponding to the first opening of the base. The first and second openings together define a cable receiving opening. The cable is received in the interior space from the cable receiving opening and has a metal shield enclosing thereof. The strain relief has a bight, a pair of intermediate portions extending obliquely from opposite lateral sides of the bight, and a pair of legs extending downwardly from bottom ends of the intermediate portions. The bight and the intermediate portions each have a spring tab extending inwardly and electrically connect with the metal shield of the cable. Each leg has two rows of barbs formed on opposite edges thereof. The two legs are received in the channels of the base and the barbs interferentially engage with inner surfaces of the channels.